A statewide collaborative team of a university researcher, state department of education project staff, local school teachers and administrators, and parent consultants examined how a variety of secondary schools implemented and assessed student self-determination activities. The purpose was to link research to practice by systematically engaging in observation and dialogue about factors affecting implementation and sustainability of self-determination activities within schools. We used multiple methods, including participant observation, interviews, networking groups, and student assessments, to gather and evaluate information. Our analyses focused on generating lessons learned that had potential value for participants as well as a broader audience of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. These lessons included the importance of engaging general educators in dialogue about the self-determination opportunities within the general curriculum.

Because of recent changes in general and special education policies, special educators who previously worked with secondary students in self-contained academic classes, resource rooms, or cotaught classes find themselves assigned to new roles that demand different collaborative skills. Based on 2 years of interviews, field notes, and observations in an inclusive high school, this study focuses on the perspectives of two special educators who redefined their daily practices in partnership with a university professional development specialist as they implemented an unusual collaborative-consultation model. Their responsibilities and relationships with teachers, students, and administrators are examined in light of the literature on collaborative models for inclusive education of high school students.

No abstract

Studies of the general population indicate that social networks influence a person's employment situation and career, especially in regard to how a person finds and gets a good job. Recent studies suggest that networks may function in similar ways for people with certain disabilities. In order to learn about the role that social networks played in career development, in this study I explored the social networks of 5 young working people with intellectual disabilities.

Through collaboratively designed qualitative inquiry, we investigated the responses of high school students with learning disabilities to a teacher's intervention intended to promote selfrealization, a fundamental component of self-determination. Activities were embedded within the general English curriculum and delivered in a special education classroom over the course of an academic year. Several themes emerged from analysis of student interviews, student responses to writing prompts and surveys, a teacher journal, and student portfolio pieces. Silence and misconceptions were prevalent in student experiences. However, through the intervention students acquired information that helped them make sense of their school experiences, redefine themselves in positive ways, and take small steps toward greater self-advocacy within their current school setting. The mediating influence of positive adult voices and concerns about social stigma were evident in students' responses, which prompted us to question teachers' and families' responsibilities for engaging young people in dialogue about special education and disability.Know thyself, for once we know ourselves we may learn how to care for ourselves, but otherwise, we never shall-Socrates

College programs for students with intellectual disability frequently engage peer mentors to promote students' social connections on campus. The qualitative study discussed in this article was conducted to explore, from mentors' perspectives, how mentor/mentee relationships developed, how mentors offered supports, and how mentors facilitated membership into the campus community. Using Pawson's (2004) conceptual framework, mentoring relationships were analyzed in regard to status, reference group, and mentoring mechanisms. Mentors perceived themselves as well-positioned to facilitate their partners becoming college insiders. They used coaching and direction setting to support mentees, and identified factors that appeared to facilitate or hinder shifts in mentee status, including their own beliefs and skills, role conflicts, and person-centered thinking. Implications for supporting peer mentors and refining program theory are also discussed.

No abstract

No abstract